Nine Dragons Saint Ancestor

”Is the first one who entered the valley just now!”

”Tsk tsk, that kid seems to be called Yun Xiao, right? He really is a troublemaker!”

”What troublemaker? This is simply reckless, even daring to provoke Third Prince Xuan Zhi!”

”I heard that Third Prince Xuan Zhi has a foul temper. Yun Xiao has provoked him, and this time, he probably won’t be able to leave Medicine Valley, right?”

”...”

Once the crowd recognized Xuan Zhi’s identity, they finally recognized the appearance of his opponent as well, but this discovery led to a strong wave of discussions exploding among them then and there.

Previously, Yun Xiao had been quite conspicuous outside, not only completely unscathed under the powerful strike of the eldest of the Cao Family but also was the first to enter this Medicine Valley, having mocked the three people from the Cao and Zhao families single-handedly.

But precisely because Yun Xiao was the first to enter Medicine Valley, aside from Tan Yun’s team, all other juniors, who could be considered competitors, disliked him, guessing that Yun Xiao had already snatched all the good treasures in Medicine Valley.

In fact, Yun Xiao did not take a single flower or plant from Medicine Valley. Instead, just as he discovered the Purple Energy Flower Lotus, it was snatched away by Xuan Zhi, which really made him wrongly accused.

Hearing the discussions around, the Cao Ju brothers exchanged glances, then Zhao Xingwu by their side began somewhat enviously, ”The thing in Third Prince Xuan Zhi’s hands appears to be a Purple Energy Flower Lotus. Medicine Valley indeed contains many treasures.”

The Zhao family’s foundation was not weak; they immediately recognized the item in Xuan Zhi’s hands. Such treasures, even if useless to them, could be sold at a high price or even possibly owe them a favor from some Spiritual Rank Meridian Refining Masters. Such items were coveted by everyone.

”Hmph, that kid Yun Xiao should look at what he really is capable of, daring to compete with Third Prince Xuan Zhi for the Purple Energy Flower Lotus, now he probably has to risk even his life!”

Cao Ju’s tone was somewhat sour. In fact, from the first time he saw Yun Xiao, that kid had continuously made him lose face, even burning one of his right hands, and only now did he feel some sense of satisfaction.

The perspective of these three was naturally higher than other low-to-middle-level Meridian Introduction Realm cultivators; with just a few glimpses, they knew Yun Xiao was no match for Xuan Zhi. Loss was just a matter of time.

Compared to his desire for the Purple Energy Flower Lotus, Cao Ju actually hoped more that Yun Xiao would be killed by Xuan Zhi, to revenge the humiliations he suffered.

The discussion from the surrounding cultivators was not clearly heard by the distant Xuan Zhi and Yun Xiao, especially Yun Xiao; this short exchange allowed him to understand more about the methods of this Empire’s Third Prince.

This person was indeed not comparable to the likes of Cao Luo, who was only at the early stage of the Meridian Gathering Realm, and the cultivation techniques or Meridian Techniques practiced by the royal family far surpassed those of others. Within just a few exchanges, Yun Xiao was utterly overwhelmed.

However, Yun Xiao was not discouraged. The purpose of this battle was not to defeat Xuan Zhi, but to retrieve the Purple Energy Flower Lotus, which was much easier than defeating Xuan Zhi.

Yun Xiao’s confidence stemmed from Xuan Zhi’s underestimation of him, in Xuan Zhi’s eyes, just a late-stage Meridian Introduction Realm little bug who couldn’t snatch the Purple Energy Flower Lotus even if Xuan Zhi stood still.

But is Yun Xiao a typical late-stage Meridian Introduction Realm cultivator? His biggest reliance was not this low-level Meridian Qi Cultivation, but rather the methods from his previous life and the rich combat experience. With these, his goal was not entirely without hope.

Yet Yun Xiao knew such a fight could not be dragged on too long. Firstly, his Meridian Qi was not enough to sustain such high-intensity fighting, secondly, if the fight went on too long and made Xuan Zhi alert, it would become difficult for him to catch Xuan Zhi off guard.

Thus, after only a few rounds, Yun Xiao had made up his mind; seeing that Xuan Zhi was still arrogant and not taking him seriously, this was an excellent opportunity.

Previously, not only had Yun Xiao been losing, but he was also concealing his skills just to mislead Xuan Zhi. After a few moves, he knew the opportunity had arrived.

Whoosh!

At one moment, Yun Xiao’s left hand suddenly turned, reaching towards the Purple Energy Flower Lotus in Xuan Zhi’s left hand. This move, identical to previous ones, caused the Third Prince from the royal family to let out a disdainful sneer.

However, what Xuan Zhi did not know was that Yun Xiao’s grab with his left hand was actually a feint. As he pulled his arm back, his right hand was already swinging out like lightning, catching Xuan Zhi somewhat off-guard.

Xuan Zhi remained not too flustered, though. After the recent exchanges, he had a clear sense of Yun Xiao’s Meridian Qi Cultivation. With such a late-stage Meridian Introduction Realm cultivation, which was three small realms below his, even if Yun Xiao struck his right arm, it probably wouldn’t cause even slight disturbance.

So although Yun Xiao’s right hand swung out quickly, Xuan Zhi only slightly startled, then his left arm did not move at all, letting Yun Xiao’s right hand fingers grab onto his forearm.

Yun Xiao was waiting for this very opportunity, an opportunity where Xuan Zhi thought that even if Yun Xiao struck with all his might, it would not breach his defense. The moment Yun Xiao’s fingers touched Xuan Zhi’s left forearm, he knew this battle was about to end.

”Hmm?”

With a face full of disdainful smile, Xuan Zhi finally felt an unusual sensation the next moment because a strange aura suddenly burst out between Yun Xiao’s right hand fingers. This aura ignored his Meridian Qi defense and entered directly into the meridians of his left forearm.

”Meridian Qi External Gathering? Cutting Vein Technique? This... this is impossible!”

Even Xuan Zhi, the Third Prince of the Royal Family with extensive knowledge, exclaimed as if he had seen a ghost. For a moment, he even thought that his opponent was a powerful cultivator who had reached the Meridian Rushing Realm.

Because Meridian Qi External Gathering is something only cultivators who have reached the Meridian Rushing Realm or higher could achieve. At this moment, Xuan Zhi, just like Shang Huiyu from the Shang Family over a year ago, was utterly baffled.

In fact, perhaps on the entire Hidden Dragon Continent, only Yun Xiao could achieve such a thing at the Meridian Introduction Realm or even just with Meridian Qi Rank, all thanks to his memories from his previous life – the things cultivators on the Hidden Dragon Continent thought impossible were mere trivialities to him.

”Good lad, what sorcery is this?”

It must be said that this Third Prince of the Empire reacted quite swiftly, realizing in just a moment that Yun Xiao was not a powerful cultivator from the Meridian Rushing Realm, but had used some unknown method to catch him off guard.

”Not good!”

However, just as Xuan Zhi was shouting, he suddenly discovered that the spot on his left forearm, which was struck by Yun Xiao’s Cutting Vein Technique, suddenly emitted an extremely strong heat.

The next moment, Xuan Zhi clearly saw a blood-red flame emerge from the white sleeve of his left arm, scorching his skin that it even felt slightly painful.

”Meridian Fire? This lad is actually a Meridian Refining Master?”

Xuan Zhi found himself increasingly unable to see through this plainly dressed young man before him. The strange Meridian Qi External Gathering, and now even Meridian Fire, could it be that this lad had activated a Fire Attribute Ancestor Vein?

Xuan Zhi himself was also a Meridian Refining Master, and his Meridian Refining Technique had already reached the peak of the Low Mortal Rank, just one step away from advancing to the Mortal Rank Middle Level.

It was precisely this dual cultivation talent that gave Xuan Zhi an extreme sense of superiority when facing ordinary cultivators. But when he discovered that this young man, younger and with lower Meridian Qi than himself, was also a Meridian Refining Master, he suddenly felt an extreme imbalance in his heart.

This Third Prince, knowledgeable and experienced, of course understood the concept of becoming a Meridian Refining Master in the late stage of Meridian Introduction Realm, indicating that Yun Xiao had activated an ancestor vein during his breakthrough to Meridian Introduction Realm, and it was even a Fire Attribute Ancestor Vein.

Xuan Zhi himself had only activated a Fire Attribute Ancestor Vein when breaking through to the Meridian Gathering Realm. In his view, he was already one of the top Meridian Refining Geniuses in Xuanyue Empire, yet unexpectedly he met Yun Xiao today, his heart filled with envy and his killing intent grew even denser.

But at this moment, Xuan Zhi was undoubtedly thinking too much. When that tiny blood-red flame clung to the sleeve of his left arm, he did not realize that Cao Ju from the Cao Family not far away had taken a step back with lingering fears, as if despite the distance, that eerie blood-red flame could still harm him.

If anyone in the field knew most about Yun Xiao’s Ancestral Vein Fire, it certainly had to be Cao Ju, even Tan Yun and others who had fought alongside Yun Xiao did not have such firsthand experience as Cao Ju.

Cao Ju had every reason to believe, under Yun Xiao’s eerie strong blood-red flame, even if Xuan Zhi was a genius at the Middle Stage of the Meridian Gathering Realm, he would likely end up in an embarrassing state.

Just as Cao Ju thought, when Yun Xiao saw his Meridian Fire had already attacked Xuan Zhi’s left arm sleeve, he also let out a big sigh of relief, and at the same time, all the power in his body’s meridians poured into that Ancestor Vein.

In just an instant, Yun Xiao’s Meridian Qi Cultivation broke through from the late stage of Meridian Introduction Realm to the peak of Meridian Introduction Realm, the sudden rise in Meridian Qi also caught Xuan Zhi off guard.

Yun Xiao did not delay, taking advantage of the blood-red flame still burning, and with Xuan Zhi’s left forearm slightly numb from being struck by his Cutting Vein Technique, this gave him a perfect opportunity.

Hush...

As if a breeze swept by, Xuan Zhi felt a lightness in his hand, and then the Purple Energy Flower Lotus that he had been tightly holding in his left hand vanished without a trace.